The NCET Small Business Expo can help you grow your business

Small businesses continue to power Nevada’s remarkable job growth and it’s in the best interest of all Nevadans to support our entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Recent data from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reveals that small businesses account for 53 percent of Nevada’s private-sector jobs. This percentage is even more remarkable considering the number of large employers in Nevada’s gaming, mining, and manufacturing sectors.

The importance of small business employment is particularly noteworthy in Northern Nevada. For instance, in Washoe County, nearly 62 percent of all jobs are found at smaller firms, and in Carson City, small businesses provide more than three-quarters of all jobs.

Throughout our state, nearly 80 percent of our businesses have no employees, and are sole proprietorships or family-owned − and the life of a job-creating small business owner is never easy. The visionaries who launch businesses often wear multiple hats — from acting as a sales manager in the morning, production superintendent in the afternoon, and bookkeeper and chief financial officer after the children go to bed at night.

Support and guidance for Nevada’s sole-proprietors and small businesses are readily available from a wide variety of professional service-providers, nonprofit organizations, and government offices. The problem? Connecting those entrepreneurs with the help they need to help their companies grow.

The NCET Small Business Expo helps fill this need. Entrepreneurs who invest even a few hours at the Small Business Expo will leave with an abundance of information and important networking contacts. Business owners will have the opportunity to talk with experts and visit with experienced and knowledgeable industry professionals.

For more than a decade, the Expo has offered attendees an array of benefits. More than 100 exhibitors ranging from financial institutions to business-oriented law firms, advertising agencies, internet services, and commercial real estate brokers will be on hand to provide detailed information about the products and services they offer to assist small business owners. Meanwhile, educational seminars are held throughout the day to allow attendees a rare opportunity to receive quality business guidance and recommendations from top regional experts. Panelists provide advice on topics ranging from business plans, financial strategies, marketing and social media messages, and legal concerns for small businesses.

The Expo also provides current and future small business owners opportunities for informal one-on-one conversations and networking to acquaint attendees with the abundance of resources available to strengthen their businesses.

The 12th annual NCET Small Business Expo is being held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, September 22, 2017 at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa Grand Ballroom in Reno. Admission is free with a business card.

As Nevada’s Lieutenant Governor and as a small business owner myself, I understand the economic development opportunities that small businesses offer to our state’s future if given the proper chance to achieve their full potential. I’m proud to support the NCET Small Business Expo and the important role NCET plays in helping Northern Nevada entrepreneurs and small business owners realize their dreams — a reality that can create jobs for our residents and build strong communities for Nevada’s families.